Home Safety: First Aid Knowhow!

What would you do if you found someone lying unconscious, who was choking, or may have suffered from an overdose?

You never know when you might need to give urgent first aid assistance, so knowledge is vital! If you support a friend or family member with extra health needs, or if you manage your own health conditions, it’s essential you know basic first aid skills.

Take a Course

Because accidents and emergencies can happen at any time, everybody should have some basic knowledge of first aid. What better way to learn these skills than by attending a dedicated first aid course? There are a variety of courses available, depending on individual needs. Prices vary too, depending on the provider and the type of course you choose.

Consider doing at least a Level 1 First Aid course, ideal for people who want to learn basic first aid or who need to refresh their first aid qualification. Refresher courses are also available for those who completed first aid training less than two years ago, right through to advanced resuscitation training courses for health professionals.

St John regularly holds scheduled first aid and resuscitation courses at their St John premises throughout New Zealand. You can find out more at the St John website or by phoning 0800 FIRST AID (0800 347 782). The website also has many short first aid videos to provide quick learning about common first aid topics.

First Aid at Home

Keep your first aid kit in a handy location to ensure it can be easily found (the kitchen or bathroom are good places at home). All members of your family or your work colleagues should know where the kit is kept.

And don’t forget to regularly review the contents of your kit to ensure supplies are topped up, and that creams and other items have not passed their expiry dates. Check and replenish your first aid kit every three months.

Your first aid kit should include:

Antiseptic wipes

Crepe bandages

Disposable gloves

Eye pads

An instant ice pack

Resealable bags for soiled dressings

Non-adhesive pads

Non-woven swabs

A resuscitation mask or aid

Saline solution

Scissors

Splinter probes

A survival blanket

Triangular bandage

Waterproof plasters

Download a CPR iPhone App!

St John’s CPR iPhone ‘app’ will show you how to safely and correctly carry out cardiopulmonary resuscitation (commonly known as CPR). Knowing how to save a life is a vital skill, one we should all have just in case! This application is free and easy to download. Visit the website to find out more.